The song, “Does Jesus Care?”, written in 1901, has been a comfort to Christians during the trials of the
past century. It is one of my favorites. The other night, while meditating on the words of the song, it
occurred to me that the title could have a much broader application than the wonderful words of comfort in
the song. We could profit greatly by applying the question to many areas of our lives and seeking to find
the answer from the scriptures. For example, does Jesus care, one way or the other, whether one is a Jew or
Gentile, bond or free, rich or poor, when it comes to saving him from sin and adding him to the church? The
answer is, no he does not care one way or the other. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,
whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one
Spirit.” (1 Cor. 12:13). Let us see if we can apply this to some other matters.
Does Jesus care who wins the Super Bowl or the Alabama-Auburn game? One would think that He is deeply
concerned from listening to some post-game interviews. Players and coaches often are heard giving the Lord
credit for their victory. While it is commendable that they would think of the Lord at such a time, I can
find nothing in the scriptures that convinces me that the Lord cares one way or the other who wins a
football game or any other similar contest. However, there are other areas where many professed Christians
seem to think that he does not care when the Bible indicates that he really does care.
Does Jesus care what church we belong to just as long as one is sincere in his choice? “There is one
body...” (Eph. 4:4). The body is the church (Eph. 1:22, 23). “But now are they many members, yet but one
body” (1 Cor. 12:20). “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church:
and he is the saviour of the body. (Eph. 5:23). If there is one body and it is the church and if He is the
head of the church and savior of the body, then He must care one way or the other.
Does Jesus care what or how one worships as long as he is seeking to honor God? Jesus said, “But the hour
cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the
Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit
and in truth” (John 4:23-24). “In spirit” suggests that he cares how one worships. 1 Cor. 14:40 teaches
that worship services should “be done decently and in order.” “In truth” suggests that he cares what we
offer in worship. It must be according God’s word – the truth. Also, He said, “But in vain they do worship
me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Matt. 15:9).
Does Jesus care what day we observe the Lord’s Supper in His memory? Luke wrote, concerning the early
disciples’ practice, “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread
...” (Acts 20:7). The breaking of bread here obviously refers to the Lord’s Supper since early Christians
were forbidden to come together as a church to eat a common meal (1 Cor. 11:18, 22, 34, NKJ, NIV).
Does Jesus care what length of hair one wears? From what I am seeing more and more among members of the
church, one might conclude that Jesus does not care, one way or the other? It is not unusual any more to
sit behind a couple at a worship service and not be able to tell which is the male or female by their hair
styles. Yet, the scriptures say, “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it
is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a
covering (1 Cor. 11:14-15). Does this not indicate to us that the Lord does care one way or the other about
the length of one’s hair?
Does Jesus care about the clothes one wears? “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest
apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but
(which becometh women professing godliness) with good works” (1 Tim. 2:9-10). The Bible also clearly
teaches that one is to be clothed so that “the shame of thy nakedness do not appear” (Rev. 3:18). Clothing
can make one’s nakedness appear by either leaving certain parts of the body bare or by being so form
fitting that nothing is left to the imagination.
The list of applications could go on and on. It would be a good exercise in Bible study for one to list all
the things he could think of about which he could ask “Does Jesus care?” Then go to the scriptures to see
if He really does care one way or the other.
Yes, Jesus does care, in the words of the song, “when my heart is pained ... when my way is dark ... when
I’ve said ‘good-by’ to the dearest on earth to me.” He also cares about other things in our lives as well.
If we seek to please Him, we will care about those things for which he cares.
edbragwell@gmail.com
